1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vehicle washing apparatus, and more particularly to vehicle washing apparatus wherein the vehicle to be washed is temporarily parked within a washing bay during cleaning operations.
2. Description of the Related Art
High volume vehicle washers typically move the vehicles to be washed past fixed-location washing devices. The vehicles to be washed are either slowly driven through such equipment, or are towed through such equipment by conveyor systems. While such drive-through washers can handle high volumes of vehicles, they are also relatively expensive and require a significant amount of space.
Less-expensive “rollover” vehicle washers are also known in the art wherein an archway, or bridge structure, rolls back and forth over the vehicle to be washed. In some cases, such rollover vehicle washers roll along a pair of spaced floor rails that extend along opposing sides of the vehicle to be washed. In other cases, a movable overhead carriage is supported for reciprocating forward/backward movement above the vehicle by an overhead framework supported by floor-mounted columns. Examples of such rollover vehicle washers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,300,803 and 3,428,983, both to Seakan, U.S. Pat. No. 3,425,080 to Dolitzsch et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,284 to Schleeter, U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,662 to Crotts, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,135 to Fratello, et al. Rollover vehicle washers are often used by car dealerships, auto service centers, and other commercial businesses that are not dedicated car wash facilities.
Other washing systems are also known wherein a generally rectangular-shaped overhead guide track (usually having rounded corners) is suspended above a car-washing bay, and a movable washing apparatus is driven around such guide track to encircle the vehicle. Examples of such washing systems are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,730 to Burchett, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,281 to Hurst, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,906 to White.
Still other washing systems are known wherein an overhead carriage is supported by a floor-mounted frame for reciprocal movement back and forth along the length of a vehicle washing bay, while a further reciprocating trolley moves from side to side along the width of the overhead carriage. The trolley supports one or more L-shaped wash arms to direct cleaning fluid at the vehicle to be washed. Examples of this type of washing system are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,016 to Carlson, and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,372,053 to Belanger, et al. These L-shaped wash arms are rotated through an arc of ninety degrees as the reciprocating carriage approaches the opposing ends of the wash bay; in this manner, the L-shaped wash arms round the corner of the vehicle to reach the front or rear surfaces of the vehicle.
Known vehicle washing systems that employ overhead carriages supported by a floor-mounted frame surrounding the washing bay often require significant floor space. The same is true for rollover machines that require rails on both sides of the washing bay to support the rolling washing archway.
In the vehicle washing industry, there is a current preference for so-called “touch-free” washing apparatus which avoids any physical contact between the washing apparatus and the vehicle, apart from streams of washing/rinsing fluid and/or streams of drying air. Such “touch-free” systems are less likely to damage projecting vehicle components such as side mirrors, antennas and the like. However, touch-free washing systems are more effective if the spray nozzles of the washing apparatus can be maintained in relatively close proximity to the surface of the vehicle. Otherwise, the sprayed cleaning fluid disperses too much before reaching the vehicle surface, and is not as effective in removing dirt and grime. Vehicles can vary greatly in width, and it is a challenge to accommodate vehicles having a range of widths while still maintaining the spray nozzles closely proximate to the vehicle surface for effective cleaning.
On occasion, a spray washing arm will inadvertently contact a projecting portion of a vehicle. This might happen, for example, if an oversized side-view mirror projects from one or both sides of the vehicle. To avoid extensive damage to the vehicle, washing apparatus manufacturers have constructed such washing arms using so-called break-away joints. If a force exceeding some predetermined magnitude is exerted upon such break-away joint, a special breakable pin, or some other frangible element, fractures and allows the joint to swing freely to avoid damage. Once broken, the break-away joint must be repaired to return it to its original condition.
In order for a roll-over type washing system to function at maximum efficiency, the vehicle must be positioned in a known position within the washing bay. It is known to install wheel guide rails in washing bays to form a wheel track for receiving one of the wheels of the vehicle, typically the front left wheel of the vehicle. The guide rails force the vehicle wheel into a fixed lateral (side-to side) position within the washing bay. In order to properly index the forward-rearward position of the vehicle, the wheel track may include a depressed trough which skilled drivers can sense as the vehicle wheel enters the trough. However, the lay driver often has difficulty detecting whether the vehicle wheel has registered with the depressed trough or not. In these instances, the vehicle may not be pulled into the bay far enough, or it might be pulled too far into the washing bay.
Apart from ensuring that the front end of the vehicle to be washed is properly indexed in the washing bay, additional difficulties arise by reason of different vehicles having different lengths. If the washing apparatus is to do a thorough job of cleaning the rear surfaces of the vehicle, then the spray nozzles of the vertical portion of the washing arm must be swept in close proximity to the rear end of the vehicle. On the other hand, assuming that the length of travel of a rollover washing apparatus in the forward/backward direction is fixed at some average length, then the washing arm will not be positioned close enough to the rear surfaces of shorter-than-average cars, and the washing arm may be positioned too close too, and actually impact, the rear surfaces of longer-than-average vehicles.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention is to provide such a vehicle washing apparatus which effectively washes a vehicle and which requires relatively little floor space.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a washing apparatus which easily accommodates vehicles of varying widths while maintaining washing fluid spray nozzles relatively close to the surfaces of the vehicle being washed.
A further object of the present invention is to assist a lay user in detecting whether the vehicle has been pulled into the washing bay by the appropriate distance to properly index the vehicle within the washing bay.
Still another object of the present invention is to maintain the vertical portion of a washing arm essentially vertical during washing operations while still permitting the washing arm to move away from such vertical position in those instances wherein the washing arm actually contacts a portion of the vehicle in order to avoid excessive damage to the vehicle.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a washing apparatus which positions the spray nozzles of the washing arm in relatively close proximity to rear surfaces of the vehicle to be washed, irrespective of the length of the vehicle to be washed.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide such a washing apparatus which is relatively inexpensive but which reliably and efficiently cleans the front, rear, side and top surfaces of a wide range of vehicles.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art as the description of the present invention proceeds.